Just Because It’s Nice To Be Nice with Tanya Geisler

Yesterday, my daughter took a teeny-tiny Tupperware container of M&Ms to school. No sooner had she produced the jangling box of promise that the trade offers started to fly.

One of her more vocal friends offered a Babybel. (If you do not have children under seven, you may be unaware of these waxy-plastic covered processed cheeses). My daughter is not a fan of these (I do not say this with any soupcon of snobbery…Babybels are regrettably one of my dirty little cheese-related secrets: see also Cheez Whiz). But I digress.

As any reasonable creature knows, only chocolate can be traded for chocolate, and so M&Ms-for-a- Babybel was not an acceptable swap. However, my daughter’s bestie loves the wee waxed numbers, so my child made an exception to The Law Of Chocolate and cut a deal.

Lest you be under the false impression that my daughter is destined to a life of selflessness serving the unfortunate in the streets of Calcutta, let me share this. It was important to her that I know that she didn’t receive anything in return. “Not ONE thing…but I’m not complaining”. (I do wonder when we’ll get the call from the Vatican).

“So, why did you do it, then?”

“Just because it’s nice to be nice”.

There it is. Truth.
“Just because” + “it’s nice to be nice”. Together in kindness bliss.
“Just because” can be carefree and careless. At its extreme, it can have the whiff of reckless, rebellious abandon. “Why’d you kick over the trash can?” {Shrug} “Just because.”

“It’s nice to be nice” is a truism to be sure…AND it can have the whisper of trying too hard (but haven’t your saboteurs already wasted enough of your life telling you that you try too hard?)

So by all means, be intentional. Make promises. Keep promises. Honour your value of generosity. Often. Do the right thing. Send the thank you cards (even late, is fine…just send them).

And in all of that doing, leave some room for kindness with abandon. With no attachment to the outcome (not even calls from the Vatican).

Just because it’s nice to be nice.

Tanya Geisler is a certified professional business and life coach who helps people find their THING, get clear about it and then rock it out. With a loving dose of kindness and a whole lotta laughter, as required.